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When did the Hail Mary become part of the rosary? That seems like a silly question. A traditional five decade rosary has fifty-nine beads. The Hail Mary is said on fifty-three of those beads while the Our Father is said on only six.

Originally, however, the string of prayer beads known in the Catholic Church as a rosary began as the Paternoster, a string of Our Father prayers. The Hail Mary did not become widely known as a prayer of the Catholic Church until the 12th century.

To learn more about the rosary, read The Rosary Collector’s Guide, a 152 page hardcover reference book published by Schiffer Publishing. The Rosary Collector’s Guide has over 200 color photographs of rosaries, crosses, crucifixes, and center medals ranging from those owned by England’s King Henry VIII to those honoring Pope Francis. The Rosary Collector’s Guide, written by Gloria Brady Hoffner and Helen Hoffner, is available on Barnes and Noble.com, Amazon.com, the Catholic Faith Store Online, and other book stores, religious article stores, and online sellers.